1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a massage measurement apparatus that measures a characteristic parameter of massage and a massage measurement method for measuring a characteristic parameter of massage.
2. Description of the Related Art
A massage is widely known as a therapy performed such that a skin is kneaded or rubbed with a finger, a palm, or the like. Effects of the massage greatly vary depending on how it is performed. Therefore, there is a need for acquiring details of an effective manner of massage and reproducing the massage. However, it is difficult to objectively determine the strength or the pattern of the massage. Hereinafter, the strength of massage or the pattern thereof or the like will also be referred to generically as characteristic parameters of the massage.
One possible technique to measure the characteristic parameters of the actual massage is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-118635 (hereinafter, referred to as the conventional technique).
In the conventional technique, a pressure distribution sensor sheet disposed on a display is used to detect what pressure is applied to which position of the sheet. The pressure distribution sensor sheet is brought into direct contact with a part of a skin of interest for which measurement is to be performed to detect a distribution of pressure applied during massage (hereinafter, such a part will be referred as a measurement target part), and massage is performed through the pressure distribution sensor sheet. This makes it possible to detect the pressure applied to the measurement target part during the massage.